Graduation numbers drop

Most high school graduations will be celebrated throughout Whitman County this weekend, with the exceptions being Pullman, which marked commencement Sunday, and Rosalia which will have commencement June 14.

The total number of graduates in the county will be 305, a drop of 17 from last year’s total.

Pullman’s graduate count dropped by 16 this year, and the tally at Colfax dropped by 14. Tekoa’s count dropped by six.

Those declines were offset by slight increases in the smaller school districts around the county.

The number of graduates from Colfax decreased from 56 graduates in 2013 to 42 this year. Rosalia has 19 seniors getting diplomas compared to 14 last year. St. John-Endicott had a dozen graduates last year and will have 18 seniors graduating this year.

Colton has two more graduates this year, increasing slightly from 15 to 17. Gar-Pal has 25 graduates this year, an increase from 21 last year. LaCrosse has nine graduates this year, an increase from seven and Oakesdale has one more graduate this year, from seven to eight graduates.

Colfax High School graduation will be Saturday, June 7, at 11 a.m. in the CHS gym. Senior advisor and art teacher Cheryl Lothspeich said 42 seniors will graduate. Retiring staff includes Lothspeich, social studies teacher Terry Asbjornsen, kindergarten teacher Robyn Johnson, para professional Pam Becker and school psychologist Jim Heidelberger. The senior motto for this year is: “To succeed in our own way.”

Seventeen Colton High School seniors will graduate on Saturday, June 7, at 11 a.m. in the gym. The class motto is “Take the world as you find it, but leave it a better place.”

Co-Senior Class Advisor Susan Lopez said 25 Garfield-Palouse seniors will graduate on Saturday, June 7, at 1 p.m. in the Palouse High School gym. The class motto this year is “Arise, go forth and conquer, for today is the first day of the rest of your life.”

LaCrosse High School graduation will be held Saturday, June 7, at 11 a.m. in the Plowman Gym for the nine seniors.

Eight Oakesdale graduates will be honored on Saturday, June 7, at 3:30 p.m., in the gym. Class motto is “Why fit in when you’re born to stand out.” Three retiring staff members will be honored. Assistant office manager Marilyn Wigen who has served the school district for 35 years, along with her husband, Marvin, who taught shop and math, are retiring. Linda Crooks, the online learning coordinator, also is retiring. “Together we have over 100 years of service at school,” Marilyn Wigen said.

Pullman High School graduation for 160 seniors was Sunday in Beasley Coliseum.

Nineteen seniors at Rosalia High School will graduate Saturday, June 14, at 2 p.m. in the high school gym. Guest speaker will be Ray Bernard, the now retired Voice of the Spartans, will also be grand marshal for the Battle Days parade this Saturday. Third grade teacher Donna Lazzarini is retiring this year. The class motto is “The grass isn’t always greener on the other side; it’s green where you water it.”

St. John-Endicott Senior Class Advisor Roger Beck said 18 graduates will be honored on Sunday, June 8, at 2 p.m. in the gym. Math teacher Dick Schindler is guest speaker this year. This year’s motto is “The moment may be temporary but the memory is forever.”

Tekoa High School has seven seniors graduating Sunday, June 8, at 1 p.m. in the high school gym. The graduation program includes a piano performance.